Duane I. Jenkins

Duane Iler Jenkins February 1, 1928 – April 15, 2025

Duane Iler Jenkins, 97, of Homer, Nebraska, joined the Lord on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Oakland Heights Nursing Home in Oakland, Nebraska, surrounded by family.

A celebration of Duane’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Mohr & Becker-Hunt Funeral Home in South Sioux City, Nebraska, with Pastor Mark Eldal officiating. Interment will follow at Omaha Valley Cemetery in rural Homer. Visitation with the family present will begin at 9:30 a.m., prior to the service. To celebrate his life and his love for Nebraska football, we invite you to wear Husker red. Let’s send him off surrounded by the Sea of Red he loved so much.

Duane was born on February 1, 1928, in rural Rosalie, Nebraska, to Alva (Tude) and Garney (Freel) Jenkins. At the age of 4, his family moved into the town of Rosalie, where Duane began first grade at Rosalie Public School. A dedicated student and talented athlete, Duane participated in every sport available and graduated from high school at the young age of 16. He later attended a small college in Omaha before answering the call to serve his country.

At 18, Duane enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, completing basic training in San Diego and serving at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. After an honorable discharge, he returned to the Homer area, working on his sister and brother-in-law’s farm.

On October 17, 1953, Duane married the love of his life, Joyce Krumwiede, daughter of Ivan and Ora (Harris) Krumwiede. Together, they built a life rooted in love, family, and hard work. Over the course of their 71-year marriage, they raised two sons—Rick Jenkins of Homer, Nebraska, and David Jenkins of Sioux City, Iowa—while working side by side to cultivate the family farm.

Duane took great pride in his sons, especially their achievements in athletics, which led them to compete at the state level. One of his fondest memories was a canoe trip to Canada he took with a group of Boy Scouts, including his youngest son, David. The adventure was filled with laughter and lasting memories—especially the sight of Duane stretched out in the canoe, catching a nap while "on duty."

A hardworking man, Duane spent over 26 years at Swift Fresh Meat Company while simultaneously operating a full-time crop and livestock farm. Even after retiring from Swift, he continued to farm full-time, embodying a tireless work ethic and deep love for the land. One of Duane’s favorite jobs on the farm was running the popcorn picker. He took great pride in his connection to Jolly Time Popcorn, and every Christmas he shared that joy by gifting his grandchildren boxes filled with every flavor—a tradition they looked forward to and cherished year after year. Duane also had a special love for sweetcorn. He grew it in abundance each season, not just for himself, but to share with others. That spirit of generosity was part of who he was. He grew sweetcorn for as long as he farmed, eventually passing the torch to his son, Dave. And of course, sweetcorn wasn’t just something he loved to grow—it was something he loved to eat. A meal wasn't complete without it. As Duane liked to say, eating sweetcorn was “like a pelican eating fish”—and he wasn’t kidding. Six ears per meal was just about standard for him.

But beyond his work ethic and love for corn, Duane cherished his role as a grandpa. —ornery and mischievous at times, but always with a heart full of love and a gift for making people laugh. As his grandchildren grew up, Duane spent countless nights camped out in the treehouse with them, led endless four-wheeler rides (always handing over the throttle), and gladly gave up prized Husker football tickets to kids who were mostly just there for the hotdogs. He was the undisputed king of one-liners—the kind that made you laugh and shake your head at the same time—and he had a legendary ornery side-eye and smirk whenever he was up to no good.

While he cherished time with his grandchildren, Duane’s heart also beat for Nebraska football—a passion that ran deep. Saturdays during football season had their own tradition. Duane and his son Rick would be out in the feedyard on the 560 tractor, radio blaring at full volume so they wouldn’t miss a single play. No matter what was going on, they always found time for the game—because for them, Nebraska football was more than a sport, it was a way of life. In time, Duane proudly became a season ticket holder. He followed his team faithfully, even traveling solo to away games. Among his most cherished memories were attending the 1994 Orange Bowl and the 1995 Fiesta Bowl National Championship games with his son David and grandson Rodney. He also had the joy of witnessing the 88th Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California, on January 3, 2002.

An active and respected member of his community, Duane served on several advisory boards, including the Nebraska Rural Electric Association, Dakota County Rural Water Advisory Board, and the Northeast Nebraska Public Power District Board. He was a devoted rural fireman and a faithful member of the United Methodist Church in Homer. Duane also played an active role in supporting local youth and education. He took great pride in helping to build Homer’s first football field, working alongside his father-in-law, Ivan Krumwiede. Later, as president of the Homer Community School Booster Club, he led efforts to raise funds for the school's first digital football scoreboard—leaving a lasting impact on the community he cared so deeply about.

Duane is survived by his beloved wife, Joyce Jenkins; his sons, Rick Jenkins and David (Laurie) Jenkins; grandchildren Rodney Jenkins, Brooke (Chris) Hines, Melissa (Daryl) LaPointe, and Kristi (Max Carroll) Jenkins; great-granddaughters Ava Hines and Annika Carroll; and great-grandsons Brigham, Liam, and Tatum Duane LaPointe.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, Alva and Garney (Freel) Jenkins; three sisters, Mildred, Opal, and Margie; and his brother, Frank.

Duane made people feel loved, made them laugh, and made the world a brighter place. His legacy of faith, dedication, and love of family, farming, and community will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.